They caraway is eight weeks old and the cumin is seven weeks old. I don't know if gran is the proper name for this cheese. I wasn't following a specific recipe, but generally following the style of Italian cheeses. They were made with whole milk, with a little lipase, Chobani brand yogurt for thermophilic culture; let the culture set for 45 minutes, added rennet, clean break in 45 minutes, cut the curd into 1 inch cubes, rested for 15 minutes (this method is working best for me with the somewhat over-pasteurized cheap milk I have been using). I cut the curd into rice sized pieces and brought to 110 over 45 minutes, stirring gently. Drained and pressed at moderate pressure, turning and re-dressing at 30 minutes three times, then heavy pressure overnight. Brined for 1-1/2 hours per pound in 18 percent brine, dried at 65 f for three days, turning frequently, then vacuum sealed and aged at 55 f. This cheese develops flavor early - we've eaten it at two weeks and enjoyed it. It tasted much like provolone.
The plain one was the most popular, followed by the caraway. Most people did not like the cumin. I tend to be a bit ham-handed with spices and seasonings, and I used too much cumin seed. But I like cumin, so lunches are covered for quite a while. I re-sealed a half wheel, and we'll see how it tastes later on.
The distinctive lipase taste appears to be mellowing as they age.
Just a note on the milk I've been using: I've been getting Land of Lakes milk form BJ's Wholesale Club for $1.98 a gallon, and am getting a bit more than a pound per gallon yield. The curd is quite fragile at first, so I've learned to cut it large and let it rest 10-15 minutes no matter what else I do, and those 1 inch cubes shrink down to about 1/2" in that time. Then I return to the recipe I'm following for proper milk.
I love making cheese, and look forward to using better milk, but right now it's about price: I can feed my family cheese for $2 a pound, and that that makes us happy.
the gouda that we served is very young. I made it Halloween night, but we sampled it last week just to see how young it was, and we couldn't stop eating it. Wow! Gouda grows up fast! I re-sealed the remaining half wheel, and put it back in the cave until Christmas.
There's a world of difference between the gouda I pressed at 32 lbs and the latest I pressed at 160 lbs.
Really, this is a lot of fun!
Dave in CT
